Despite having a stomach bug & having had fuck all sleep as a consequence, here I’m writing the obligatory article about why trans visibility is important this weekend at Pride in London, because its compulsory for all bloggers/journalists who happen to be trans to write about trans ha ha.

There is a running joke between some of us bloggers/journalists who happen to be transsexual that its compulsory for us to write about trans issues, though yes I do write about a great deal besides being trans & trans specific issues, I do feel duty bound to write in encouragement of there being as much trans visibility at Pride as possible at the risk of being pigeonholed as yet another trans blogger writing about trans issues, as I believe its frigging crucial to encourage a massive trans presence at Pride as a means of furthering the cause of trans equality.

I know many peeps who’ve long been involved in campaigning for LGBTQ civil rights & equality, have become alarmed by the commercialisation of Pride & its hijacking by major corporations who all want to pose as LGBTQ friendly here in Britain but are disguising their nefarious & unscrupulous business practices elsewhere around the globe which aren’t at all LGBTQ friendly, Shon Faye produced a brilliant video last year detailing how the aims of Pride & the aims of capitalism aren’t necessarily compatible.

But despite all the corporate pinkwashing there is with Pride & the attempt to squeeze the politics out of LGBTQ Pride, there’s still politic value to Pride for trans peeps, for starters trans peeps are the most marginalised & maligned group in the LGBTQ community, I’ve certainly experienced transphobia from lesbians & gays & bisexuals & even genderqueer peeps, so kind of think it important for trans peeps to attend Pride on mass waving flags & placards reflecting the trans cause, it illustrates we exist, we are visible & our concerns must be seen & heard & not fucking ignored by the rest of the LGBTQ community or wider society.

For transsexual women such as myself the cause of trans equality isn’t just about civil rights, but its about healthcare because gender dysphoria is a medical diagnosis needing medical treatment & there are still transsexuals (fortunately I’m not one of them) who are being denied medical treatment on the NHS, this is kind of thing that needs to be highlighted by trans peeps on mass with placards at Pride & elsewhere!

Yes I’m proud to be trans & will be marching with my trans pride flag proudly at Pride in London, but at the same time I’m pissed off by the fact many trans peeps are being prevented from being truly themselves & not fulfilling their potential & this something trans peeps can use Pride to protest & the more trans peeps that do so then the more likely peeps are going to take some damn notice.

So I’d encourage as many trans peeps as possible to participate this weekend at Pride in London in aid of highlighting the trans cause, get out there & be seen my trans comrades!